Field Level Media
Sep 15, 2018
Right-hander Chris Stratton pitched a two-hit shutout, and Austin Slater provided all the offense with a two-run single in the second inning Friday night, allowing the San Francisco Giants to snap an 11-game losing streak with a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies in the opener of a three-game series in San Francisco.
The loss was a costly one for the first-place Rockies (81-66), whose National League West lead over the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers (81-67) was sliced to a half-game. Meanwhile, the third-place Arizona Diamondbacks (78-70) closed within 3 1/2 games.
Stratton (10-9), who had been bombed for 13 runs and 19 hits in consecutive matchups with the Rockies earlier this season, allowed just a two-out single to Ian Desmond in the second inning and a leadoff single to Charlie Blackmon in the sixth en route to his first career complete game and first career shutout.
Stratton needed just 114 pitches to complete his gem. He walked two and struck out seven.
It was the Giants' first complete game and shutout since Jeff Samardzija went the distance in a 3-0 win at San Diego last August.
The shutout was the Rockies' eighth of the season. They also were blanked by Madison Bumgarner, Will Smith and Reyes Moronta in a 1-0 loss to San Francisco (69-79) in June.
The Giants gave the 28-year-old Stratton all the offensive support he would need in the second inning after Nick Hundley and Joe Panik singled with one out against Rockies left-hander Tyler Anderson (6-9).
Anderson's wild pitch advanced the baserunners, and both scored on Slater's liner into center field.
The two runs allowed the Giants to snap a string of having scored just one run in three consecutive games, all of which they lost to the Atlanta Braves to open the homestand.
Anderson pitched six innings, allowing two runs on seven hits. He struck out six and did not walk a batter.
Hundley and Panik had two hits apiece for the Giants, whose 11-game losing streak was the longest in the West Coast era of the franchise.
The Giants out-hit the Rockies, who were opening a nine-game trip, 8-2.
--Field Level Media